A boy who was abducted at age six has been found 73 years later, thanks to his niece’s relentless determination.
Luis Armando Albino, who was abducted when he was just six years old, has been reunited with his family after 73 long years.
This incredible reunion was made possible by his determined niece, Alida Alequin, who never stopped searching for him.
A 6-year-old boy abducted while he was playing with older brother
Luis was taken from a park in West Oakland on February 21, 1951. At the time, he was playing with his older brother, Roger.
A woman approached them and lured Luis away with the promise of candy. This shocking event changed the lives of many people forever.
Luis was flown across the country and raised by another family in New York, completely unaware of his true identity.
For decades, Luis’s family held on to hope.
His mother, Antonia Albino, visited the police regularly to inquire about her missing son.
She believed he was still alive until she passed away in 2005 at the age of 92. Antonia’s faith and love for her son never wavered.
Albino kept his memory alive by talking about him and keeping a picture of him in their home.
“She always felt he was alive,” Alida told the outlet. “She took that with her to her grave.”
“All this time the family kept thinking of him,” the niece continued.
“I always knew I had an uncle. We spoke of him a lot. My grandmother carried the original article in her wallet, and she always talked about him.
A picture of him was always hung at the family home.”
His niece never gave up on searching for him
In 2020, Alida decided to take a DNA test, hoping to learn more about her family history.
To her surprise, she discovered a 22% match with a man living on the East Coast. This match led her to believe that she had found her long-lost uncle.
Excited and hopeful, Alida began her search for Luis in earnest.
Despite her efforts to reach out to him, Alida initially did not receive a response.
Undeterred, she enlisted the help of her daughters, who also wanted to find their uncle.
They conducted online research and found pictures of Luis. Convinced he was her uncle, Alida approached the police with her findings.
The police agreed to reopen the missing persons case, and they began their investigation.
Using the new information and DNA testing, law enforcement was able to confirm that Luis Armando Albino was indeed her uncle.
When Alida received the confirmation, she was overwhelmed with joy.
“In my heart, I knew it was him,” she said. The moment was filled with tears and happiness as she shared the news with her family.
73-year-old man finally reunited with his family
In June of this year, Luis traveled to Oakland to meet his family for the first time in 73 years.
Luis was able to see his brother Roger, who had also never given up hope of finding him.
The two brothers embraced each other tightly, sharing stories and memories.
Alida felt grateful that her mother and uncle could reconnect before Roger passed away in August.
“I think he died happily. He was at peace with himself, knowing that his brother was found,” she said.
“I’m so happy that I was able to do this for my mom and (uncle),” she added.
“It was a very happy ending,” 63-year-old niece Alida said.